Prospective MST Students

Navigate

Having “MST” after your name is a high distinction in the tax world. It indicates
that you are well versed in the area of taxation, skilled at tax research and able
to deal intelligently with the complexity of today’s tax rules.

MST is a 30 unit program which allows you to enroll full-time and complete the degree
in 12 months or part-time and be finished in 24­‑36 months. And talk about flexible:
Our classes are scheduled to work around the busy tax season.

Classes meet one evening per week and occasional Saturdays at the Lucas Business Complex in nearby Santa Clara. The program includes some online courses, as well. Courses
are offered in 8-10 week accelerated sessions.

The tuition for the 2015/2016 academic year is $645 per unit. The total cost for
the 30 unit program is $19,350.

Admission to the MST program is offered each fall and spring semester. Admission requirements
include:

• Four-year bachelors degree (any major) from an accredited U.S. college or university or an equivalent degree
from a recognized institution outside the United States.

3.0 grade point average (last 60 semester/90 quarter units)

• GMAT or GRE: Scores at the 50th percentile in both the verbal and quantitative sections of the exam. Or, we will
accept an LSAT with a minimum score of 145. The testing requirement is waived if you
have passed the CPA exam in the United States.

• English Language Proficiency exam may be required if you have earned your degree outside the United States. You
may select one of these exams:

TOEFL score of 80 or higher (IBT)

IELTS score of 7.0 or higher

Personal Statement

Resume

See the MST FAQ for detailed information on admission requirements, English language proficiency
and more.

MST Prerequisite Courses

If you have an undergraduate degree in accounting, then you have completed all the
prerequisite courses for the MST program.

If you have not earned an accounting undergraduate degree, you will need to complete
the following undergraduate courses (or equivalent) prior to admission. We’ve included
the course numbers in parenthesis in case you’d like to take them at SJSU:

• Financial Accounting (BUS1 020)

• Managerial Accounting (BUS1 021)

• Intermediate Accounting (BUS1 121A)

• Tax Factors of Business and Investment Decisions (BUS1 123A)

We recommend you take these courses prior to beginning our program:

• Business Law (BUS3 080)

• Computer Tools for Business (BUS4 091L)

• Fundamentals of Finance (BUS1 170)

You can fulfill these requirements at a community college, as well. Our Acceptable Classes list shows comparable courses at local community colleges that will fulfill the above
requirements.

The MS in Tax offers admission twice a year, in fall and in spring. Spring applications
open August 1st and fall applications open October 1st. For your convenience, please use the tailored step-by-step application and document
submission instructions. These include the guidelines for your personal statement,
letters of reference and exam scores. Choose the link below that applies to you: